<\/p>\n
Today we continue a series entitled Lord, teach us to pray!<\/em><\/b>\u00a0 Do you ever cry out with that same desire as Jesus\u2019 disciples did\u2014”Teach {me<\/b>} to pray”? <\/span><\/p>\n Each Saturday over the last few months, we have been intentionally pursuing asking the Lord to do just that\u2014teach us <\/b>to pray.\u00a0 I believe that, as we continue to look at learning how to pray through the Scriptures, we can continue to develop into daughters who delight, yearn, love to pray to their Father!!!\u00a0 This is my heart\u2019s desire.<\/p>\n Jesus was asked this important question by His disciples. One of the places that it is recorded is in Luke 11, verse 1: “Then He was praying in a certain place; and when He stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray….”\u00a0 Listen to the words that He spoke to them when they asked:<\/p>\n Pray, therefore, like this:<\/p>\n Our Father<\/p>\n Who is in heaven,<\/p>\n hallowed (kept holy) be Your name.<\/p>\n Your kingdom come,<\/p>\n Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.<\/p>\n Give us this day our daily bread.<\/p>\n And forgive us our debts,<\/p>\n as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts,<\/p>\n and have given up resentment against) our debtors.<\/p>\n And lead (bring) us not into temptation,<\/p>\n but deliver us from the evil one<\/p>\n For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.<\/p>\n Amen.<\/p>\n Matthew 6:9-13<\/p>\n The first week, in this series, we focused on the very first, and most important aspect, of Jesus\u2019 instruction\u2014addressing God Almighty as “Our Father<\/b>….” We found that He wants to be our Father…our Abba <\/i>Father!<\/p>\n The second week, we looked at the very next aspect of prayer that Jesus deemed of\u00a0 importance\u2014”Who is in heaven<\/b>.”\u00a0 This attribute tells of the utmost importance of God Who is in heaven<\/b>.\u00a0 And we also were reminded of an awesome promise from God, that we will dwell for all eternity with Jesus and our Father, Who is in heaven<\/b>.<\/p>\n Then we came to the third aspect, as we followed Jesus\u2019 instruction,\u2014 “hallowed (kept holy) be Your name<\/b>.”\u00a0 And we looked at five examples in the Scriptures where Almighty God is described as holy<\/b>: we saw the Psalmist proclaim that \u2018You are holy<\/b>\u2019…that the prophet Habakkuk called Him \u2018my Holy<\/b> One\u2019…that Isaiah saw in a vision God seated on His throne with the seraphim proclaiming \u2018holy, holy, holy\u2019…that Jesus our Lord prayed\u00a0 \u2018Holy <\/b>Father\u2019…that one of the seven angels praise Almighty God saying \u2018You Who are and were \u2018O Holy <\/b>One.\u2019\u00a0 What a privilege that our Father…Who is in heaven…would allow us to come before Him and call Him \u2018holy<\/b>!\u2019<\/p>\n After that we looked at the next aspect of prayer that Jesus deemed important\u2014\u2018Your Kingdom come<\/b>.\u2019\u00a0 We considered the question, “What is the Kingdom<\/b>?” by focusing on just two ways to understand what Jesus meant.\u00a0 The first connotation that “Kingdom<\/b>” has refers to the eternal Kingdom<\/b>.\u00a0 And then to understand “Kingdom<\/b>” in another way, we looked specifically at Matthew chapter 13\u00a0 where Jesus spoke in parables and used tangible examples to help His disciples (and us!) to understand the importance of having the Kingdom<\/b> established in our hearts.\u00a0 He wants you and me to be in that Kingdom<\/b> along with Him.<\/p>\n The following week we focused on another aspect of Jesus\u2019 instruction: \u2018Your will be done<\/b>.\u2019\u00a0 It is Almighty God\u2019s will<\/b> that we are to be concerned about…not our own.\u00a0 We considered scripture after scripture and saw our Lord\u2019s constant example showing that it was not His will<\/b> that was important but His Father\u2019s.\u00a0 If it were ever possible for anyone to justifiably state and act on their own will<\/b>, it would have been Jesus; true?\u00a0 Jesus always desired His Father\u2019s will<\/b>, always sought His Father\u2019s will<\/b>, always purposed to know His Father\u2019s will <\/b>so that He always did His Father\u2019s will<\/b>.\u00a0 And what did we find was His Father\u2019s will<\/b>?\u2014salvation and redemption through Jesus Christ.\u00a0 We were assured that at the very foundation of God\u2019s will<\/b> lies our hope, which is salvation through Jesus leading to eternal life.<\/p>\n And the next week we studied the phrase \u2018Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven<\/b>\u2019 from the perspective of our Lord\u2019s life and ministry.\u00a0 In John 6:38 we read that Jesus came down from heaven<\/b> not to do His own will but to do the will of His Father on the earth<\/b>.\u00a0 Jesus was always the perfect example to His disciples, and of course, to us.\u00a0 We, too, can live with that same heart as Jesus did.\u00a0 God has promised to lead us, to guide us, to show us His Will<\/b>.\u00a0 We looked at a number of promises that God has given us regarding our knowing His will<\/b>.\u00a0 Jesus, Who knew His heavenly Father like no one else did, desired to do God\u2019s will<\/b>.\u00a0 God\u2019s perfect will<\/b>.\u00a0 He simply and clearly taught His disciples AND US to do the same.<\/p>\n The following week we considered the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread<\/b>.”\u00a0 We recognized that Jesus IS the \u2018bread<\/b> of life.”\u00a0 We looked at John chapter 6 where Jesus spoke repeatedly about this.\u00a0 We clearly saw Jesus\u2019 heart of compassion, wanting them (and us!) to live forever by partaking of the Bread <\/b>of Life\u2014Himself\u2014and receiving that blessing.\u00a0 We also looked at\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 instruction that if they would pray, “give us this day our daily bread<\/b>…” they would be humbly acknowledging that their heavenly Father already KNEW what their needs would be that day.\u00a0 For us, just like Jesus\u2019 disciples, it is when we recognize our immense need for God\u2019s provision that we step back from trying to accomplish it (whatever \u2018it\u2019 may be for that day) and let the One Who has so much to give to us provide so perfectly for us!\u00a0 Let\u2019s remember: Jesus answered their plea to teach them to pray, and in the midst of that instruction, He directed them to pray, “give us this day our daily bread<\/b>.”\u00a0 Then, He gently reminded them that God already provided that daily bread<\/b> for them!\u00a0 (AND for us!)<\/p>\n Then we focused on the next direction Jesus gave as He taught His disciples (and now us!) to pray.\u00a0 It is the request to “…forgive us our debts<\/b>.”\u00a0 In Matthew chapter 18, Jesus addressed the issue of forgiveness<\/b> in two different ways.\u00a0 We looked first at the record where Peter asked Jesus how many times did he need\u00a0 to forgive<\/b> him and<\/i> let it go? Jesus answered him, \u2018I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!” Nothing has changed.\u00a0 We, too, are to forgive<\/b> “…seventy times seven…”\u00a0 (In other words, just keep on forgiving!<\/b>)\u00a0 Then Jesus gave further clarification and direction to Peter and the other disciples.\u00a0 He held nothing back in communicating that forgiveness<\/b>, or the refusal to forgive<\/b>, is an issue of the heart.\u00a0 We saw (in verses 21-35) a righteous example of compassionate forgiveness (the king forgiving the servant his debt of 10,000 talents).\u00a0 And, in comparison, the depiction of the forgiven servant having a hardened, merciless heart that refused to forgive<\/b>\u00a0 his fellow attendant\u2019s small debt.\u00a0 In the completion of this parable, the king then does have him thrown in jail because of his lack of forgive<\/b>ness.\u00a0 Jesus tells His disciples (and us!) in verse 35, “So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive<\/b> your brother from your heart his offenses<\/i>.”\u00a0 God through Christ has forgiven<\/b> us for so, SO much!\u00a0 And He compassionately, mercifully, and lovingly, continues to forgive<\/b> us as we repent and ask.<\/p>\n Then we looked at His next direction to His disciples (and us!): to ask our Father to “lead us not into temptation<\/b>…”\u00a0 This phrase must be kept in its context firmly attached to the next phrase, “but deliver us from the evil one.” Of great importance is to remember that God does not “tempt<\/b>” anyone (James 1:13,14).\u00a0 And in Matthew 4:3 we clearly see that THE tempter is satan, our enemy.\u00a0 We are so thankful to know, that Jesus, our High Priest, our Intercessor, our Mediator, our Redeemer, our Savior, our Lord, is right there to help us (Hebrews 4:15).\u00a0 We are not alone in handling temptation.<\/b>\u00a0 He understands and has shown us how to handle satan\u2019s tempting<\/b>.\u00a0 We see Jesus\u2019\u00a0 great example in Matthew 4:1-11.\u00a0 His response\u2014the very thing that kept Him from being tempted<\/b>\u2014was the truth of the Scriptures.\u00a0 Jesus replied to satan each time, “…it is written….”\u00a0 We, too, can have the assurance of the truth of the Scriptures when our enemy tries to tempt<\/b> us.<\/p>\n And last week we focused on the final instruction Jesus gave to His disciples (and us!) as He taught them how<\/i> to pray—“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one<\/b>.” These two phrases are to be understood together in their context.\u00a0 Jesus clearly stated that not only did they need to recognize temptation but also recognize that they could not \u2018handle\u2019 it on their own\u2014they needed to pray for God\u2019s deliverance<\/b>.\u00a0 We also looked at Jesus\u2019 prayer recorded in John chapter 17.\u00a0 One\u00a0 portion of Jesus\u2019 prayer includes asking God “keep and<\/i> protect them from the evil one<\/b>,” and also Jesus praying for “…all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me.”\u00a0\u00a0 THAT IS US!\u00a0 You and me…mentioned in Jesus\u2019 precious prayer to God!\u00a0 He knew we\u00a0 could not handle it on our own!\u00a0 Our reliance on our heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus (seated at His right hand) gives us the ability, the strength to be delivered from evil<\/b>.<\/p>\n ________<\/p>\n Now, the phrase we are studying this week<\/strong> is \u2018for Yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever<\/b>.\u2019\u00a0 What an exclamation of praise to our heavenly Father!\u00a0 In Jesus’ instruction on prayer to His disciples (and us!), He began and ended with praise\u2014\u2018hallowed be Your Name\u2019 is the first phrase and \u2018for Yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory\u2019 is the concluding phrase.\u00a0 Jesus obviously thought it of utmost importance that His Father be praised and glorified<\/strong>!\u00a0 In fact, there are a number of records in the Gospels where Jesus communicates exactly this!\u00a0 Here are a few of them:<\/p>\n Matthew 5:16<\/strong><\/p>\n Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and<\/i> your praiseworthy, noble, and<\/i> good deeds and recognize and<\/i> honor and<\/i> praise and<\/i> glorify your Father Who is in heaven<\/b>.<\/p>\n John 13:31, 32<\/strong><\/p>\n …Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified <\/b>in him. If God is glorified in him<\/b>, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.<\/p>\n Chapter 14:13<\/strong><\/p>\n Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified <\/b>in the Son.<\/p>\n Chapter 15:8<\/strong><\/p>\n My Father is glorified <\/strong>by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.<\/p>\n Chapter 17:4<\/strong><\/p>\n I have glorified You <\/strong>down here on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do.<\/p>\n Praising God should be a part of all of our communication with our heavenly Father but especially in our prayers.\u00a0 Jesus made sure that His disciples (and us!) knew that God was to be glorified and praised!\u00a0 His final point to them (and us!) when they asked Him to teach them to pray was the importance of praising and glorifying God.<\/p>\n Oh. How. He. Loves. Us. So.\u00a0 <3<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n —————————————————<\/p>\n This week, in our study A Daughter\u2019s Worth<\/i>, we have been focusing on spreading God\u2019s Word…through our witness both by sharing our story; keeping our hearts clean so that we live out our faith; by continuing to grow in God\u2019s Word; by the influence and example we can have on sisters younger than ourselves, and by sharing the Bible with the people in our lives who do not yet know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.\u00a0 In each of these areas of our lives we have SO much to praise God for as well as share with others so that they, too, can praise and glorify our wonderful heavenly Father!<\/p>\n Ask yourself:\u00a0 ______ (insert your name here), how much worth do I have if Almighty God, Who has all<\/strong> the power and deserves all<\/strong> the glory, calls me His daughter?\u00a0\u00a0 <3<\/p>\n “…For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever<\/b>….”<\/p>\n God loves you!<\/p>\n and i do, too!<\/p>\n <3 coleen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today we continue a series entitled Lord, teach us to pray!\u00a0 Do you ever cry out with that same desire as Jesus\u2019 disciples did\u2014”Teach {me} to pray”? 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